Travel case

ABSTRACT

A travel case for a phonograph record and photographic transparencies in which a generally rectangular, transparent sheet defining first and second portions provided by a transverse fold therebetween, with the first portion including a first juxtaposed cover joined thereto along three edges of the sheet to provide a pocket for receiving a record and the second portion a juxtaposed cover means joined to the sheet along three edges thereof and along one line at right angles to the transverse fold to define at least two vertically spaced horizontal rows of compartments, and each of the compartments being open adjacent its top and adapted to receive therein a photograph transparency.

United States Patent 11 1 Croon [451 Mar. 27, 1973 TRAVEL CASE Filed: Mar. 6, 1970 App1.No.: 17,057

Inventor:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Stermer ..l50/39 Casper ..206/DlG. 32

2,732,875 1/1956 Martin ..150/39 2,777,574 l/l957 Brody.... .....206/62 P 3,102,635 9/1963 Erwin et al ..206/62 P Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair Assistant ExaminerStephen P. Garbe Attorney-Holman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT A travel case for a phonograph record and photographic transparencies in which a generally rectangular, transparent sheet defining first and second portions provided by a transverse fold therebetween, with the first portion including a first juxtaposed cover joined thereto along three edges of the sheet to provide a pocket for receiving a record and the second portion a juxtaposed cover means joined to the sheet along three edges thereof and along one line at right angles to the transverse fold to define at least two vertically spaced horizontal rows of compartments, and each of the compartments being open adjacent its top and adapted to receive therein a photograph transparen cy.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures rew C 44) I l a/rowel TRAVEL CASE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a sleeve or folder resembling a book cover, which, on the inward inner side of one of its cover portions forms a pocket or sleeve for the insertion of a record-player disc, foil or the like.

The invention is based on the problem of producing a data folder intended in particular for tourists and being portable in simple and convenient manner, by means of which it is possible to carry away mementoes of noteworthy sights as well as pictures seen in town or in a museum and the like, together with a description of these noteworthy sights, and to store the same in manner which is considerably more compact and correspondingly more space-saving as compared with the book format which has been the norm. The actual data receivable in the sleeve or folder is concomitantly intended to render it possible to re-experience the sights and glean information in respect of the same in a substantially simpler and more vivid manner than has been possible by means of the books in use at the present time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention exploits the possibility created by modern technology, of acquiring transparencies of the noteworthy sights and to record the information conceming such sights on phonograph records, recording foils, tapes or the like. Accordingly, the problem posed is essentially resolved according to the invention, by virtue of the fact that the other cover portion of the folder on its inner side comprises pockets, compartments or the like which are open at the top, arranged in several rows above one another and of a height appropriate to receive conventional framed miniature film transparencies.

A folder formed in this manner offers the possibility that the data of historical or other nature regarding a town or other noteworthy sight, provided in the form of a record-player disc, may be stored in one portion thereof, and an appropriate number of transparencies depicting the noteworthy sights may be stored in the other portion. Since it may be assumed that most present-day households contain record-players as well as projectors for miniature film transparencies, a tourist wishing to experience the incidents of his journey again after returning to his home, need merely view the transparencies with the aid of a projector while at the same time playing the disc, recording foil or the like on a record-player. Compared to refreshing ones memory by means of a book, this reproduction simultaneously offers the great advantage that a larger circle of persons than a single person may take part in this reenactment.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the external cover of the pockets, compartments or the like, consists of a transparent plastic foil or sheet, which renders it possible to view and read the title of the disc or other sound record, and to inspect the transparencies as well as contingently the notes on their mountings, through the actual outer sides of the pockets, sleeves of the like, containing such material.

According to another and equally preferred embodiment, the surface covering the pockets, compartments or the like, has a hole approximately corresponding to the size of a fingertip provided at the base of each compartment receiving a transparency. Even if the compartments are so deep for safe stowage of the transparencies that the transparencies can be grasped with difficulty only from the top, the proposed holes nevertheless offer a simple possibility of initially displacing the transparencies upwards out of the compartments, from below.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the folder consists of a transparent plastic foil or sheet forming the spine and outer sides of its two cover portions, the inward side of each cover portion having welded to it another plastic foil or sheet, the one forming the inward side of the disc sleeve and the other simultaneously forming the inward side of the pockets. According to yet another embodiment of the invention, this results in the advantageous possibility that a sheet of cardboard simultaneously serving the purpose of carrying an external legend and/or an external decorative pattern, may be welded-in between the two sheet layers of one cover portion. One and the same folder may accordingly be adapted for different purposes in the simplest possible manner by virtue of the fact that the sheet of cardboard carrying the required texts and decorative patterns is welded-in between the sheet layers of a cover portion.

Other developments finally relate to other structural details of the folder according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawing which illustrates in FIG. 1 a plan view of an unfolded folder, partially broken away to show features of the invention of one embodiment,

FIG. 2 is taken along line IIII of FIG. 1, the view looking in the direction of the arrows, and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a further embodiment of the invention.

The folder is in the form of a book cover 1, which comprises a rectangular, transparent plastic sheet la, defining first and second cover portions 2 and 5 spaced one from the other by a central fold or spine 10. The inner side of cover portion 2 has a pocket 3 for the insertion of a plastic record 4, and the inner side of the cover portion 5 has a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal rows 7, 8 and 9 of compartments 7a, 8a, 9a, (FIG. 1) and the compartments are of dimensions appropriate for the reception of conventionally mounted miniature film transparencies or color slides 6.

With reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, to the inner side'or surface of the cover portion 2 is sealed or welded along seams 13 a further transparent plastic sheet 11, defining the inner wall of the pocket 3. A further transparent plastic sheet 12 is sealed or welded to the inner side of the cover portion 5 for defining the inner walls of the rows 7, 8 and 9 of the compartments 7a, 8a and 9a.

A sheet of cardboard 14, preferably printed on one side, is retained between the cover portion 2 and the sheet 11 as shown in FIG. 2. The outer wall of the pocket 3 is provided by a further transparent plastic sheet 21 which is sealed or welded to the sheet 11 by three of the seams 13 extending along the outer edges of the cover portion 2 so that the pocket 3 opens along the central fold or spine 10.

The transparent plastic sheet 12 defining the inner walls of the rows 7, 8 and 9 is sealed to the inner side of the cover portion 5. The compartments 7a, 8a and 9a are defined by an outer wall constituted by a transparent plastic sheet 15 and thedepth of the compartments exceeds half the width or depth of a conventional color slide. The sheet 15 is joined to the plastic sheet 12 by heat sealing along a seam 13a to define a base of the compartments 9a, a seam 19 and a further seam 19a to provide the bases or bottoms of the compartments 7a and 8a and in order to provide access to the compartments 7a, 8a and 9a, it will be seen that the plastic sheet 15 is provided with an elongated slit 18, 18a and 18b for each of the compartments 7a, 8a, and 9a and such slit is located in proximity to the upper ends of the compartments. A hole 20 corresponding approximately to the size of a fingertip is provided adjacent the base of each of the compartments to facilitate the extraction of the slides from the compartments.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3, there is provided a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal rows 30, 31 and 32 having compartments 30a, 31a and 32a. Each of the horizontal rows is provided by joining an outer wall or sheet 33 to plastic sheet 12' along a seam 34 to form the base of the compartments and along seams 35 which extend at right angles to the seam 34 and are spaced apart to define the sides of the compartments. The compartments are open at their upper ends and a hole 36 similar to the hole 20 is located adjacent the base of each compartment.

The cover portion 2 receiving the record 4 and the sheet 14 is situated at the left when the folder is opened with the compartments of the cover portion open at the top. The text present on the sheet 14 may then be readily positioned in the usual manner with the fold of the closed folder positioned at the left and the slide 6 may be inspected through the transparent cover portion 5 of the conventionally opened folder. The transparencies can be inspected through the cover portion 5 while the cover is opened, either on a clear table top having a source of light therebeneath or merely by holding the folder up to the light.

The record compartment may be opened at the top in the same manner as the pockets or compartments for the transparencies instead of opening towards the transverse fold 10. It is also possible for the cover to receive one or more intermediate pages or sheets.

I claim:

1. A travel case for a phonograph record and photographic transparencies, comprising a generally rectangular transparent sheet defining first and second pertions provided by a transverse fold therebetween, said first portion including a first juxtaposed cover joined thereto along three edges of said sheet to define a pocket for receiving a phonograph record, said second portion including juxtaposed cover means joined to said sheet along three edges thereof and along at least one line perpendicular to the transverse fold to define at least two vertically spaced horizontal rows of compartments, each of said compartments being opened adjacent its top and adapted to receive therein a photographic transparency, said juxtaposed cover means comprising a second cover corresponding in dimension to said second portion and having a plurality of slits therethrough, each of said slits being disposed ad'acent the top of a respective one of said compartmen and permitting access thereinto.

2. The travel case as claimed in claim 1 where a reinforcing printed planar sheet is interposed between said sheet and said cover of said first portion.

3. The travel case as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pocket defined by sheet and said first cover opens along said transverse fold.

4. A travel case for a phonograph record and photographic transparencies, comprising a generally rectangular transparent sheet defining first and second portions provided by a transverse fold therebetween, said first portion including a first juxtaposed cover joined thereto along three edges of said sheet to define a pocket for receiving a phonograph record, said second portion including juxtaposed cover means joined to said sheet along three edges thereof and along at least one line perpendicular to the transverse fold to define at least two vertically spaced horizontal rows of compartments, each of said compartments being opened adjacent its top and adapted to receive therein a photographic transparency, said juxtaposed cover means comprising a plurality of cover members corresponding in number to the number of said rows of compartments, each of said cover members being joined to said second portion along its lower edge and both ends and along at least one line parallel to said transverse fold to define a plurality of individual compartments in each of said rows, each of said compartments being open along its top edge.

5. The travel case as claimed in claim wherein said covers are transparent.

6. The travel case as defined in claim 1, wherein said juxtaposed cover means includes a plurality of fingerreceiving apertures therethrough adjacent the bottom of each compartment to facilitate manual removal of transparencies from the compartments.

* i i i 

1. A travel case for a phonograph record and photographic transparencies, comprising a generally rectangular transparent sheet defining first and second portions provided by a transverse fold therebetween, said first portion including a first juxtaposed cover joined thereto along three edges of said sheet to define a pocket for receiving a phonograph record, said second portion including juxtaposed cover means joined to said sheet along three edges thereof and along at least one line perpendicular to the transverse fold to define at least two vertically spaced horizontal rows of compartments, each of said compartments being opened adjacent its top and adapted to receive therein a photographic transparency, said juxtaposed cover means comprising a second cover corresponding in dimension to said second portion and having a plurality of slits therethrough, each of said slits being disposed adjacent the top of a respective one of said compartments and permitting access thereinto.
 2. The travel case as claimed in claim 1 where a reinforcing printed planar sheet is interposed between said sheet and said cover of said first portion.
 3. The travel case as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pocket defined by sheet and said first cover opens along said transverse fold.
 4. A travel case for a phonograph record and photographic transparencies, comprising a generally rectangular transparent sheet defining first and second poRtions provided by a transverse fold therebetween, said first portion including a first juxtaposed cover joined thereto along three edges of said sheet to define a pocket for receiving a phonograph record, said second portion including juxtaposed cover means joined to said sheet along three edges thereof and along at least one line perpendicular to the transverse fold to define at least two vertically spaced horizontal rows of compartments, each of said compartments being opened adjacent its top and adapted to receive therein a photographic transparency, said juxtaposed cover means comprising a plurality of cover members corresponding in number to the number of said rows of compartments, each of said cover members being joined to said second portion along its lower edge and both ends and along at least one line parallel to said transverse fold to define a plurality of individual compartments in each of said rows, each of said compartments being open along its top edge.
 5. The travel case as claimed in claim wherein said covers are transparent.
 6. The travel case as defined in claim 1, wherein said juxtaposed cover means includes a plurality of finger-receiving apertures therethrough adjacent the bottom of each compartment to facilitate manual removal of transparencies from the compartments. 